North Korea has dropped at least 150 balloons filled with propaganda leaflets and trash in South Korea, prompting authorities to warn residents to stay indoors.
South Korea’s military also warned people on Wednesday not to touch the white balloons and their plastic bags because they contain “dirty waste and garbage.”
The balloons have been found in eight of South Korea’s nine provinces and are currently being analyzed by relevant authorities.
Since the Korean War in the 1950s, both North and South Korea have used balloons in propaganda campaigns.
The latest incident comes days after North Korea said it would retaliate against South Korean activists for “frequently distributing leaflets and other garbage” along the border.
“Piles of waste paper and dirt will soon be scattered across South Korea’s border areas and South Korea’s interior areas, and people will experience firsthand how much effort it takes to clear them,” North Korea’s Deputy Defense Minister Kim Kang-il said in a statement. . revealed to state media on Sunday.
The Republic of Korea or ROK is the official name of South Korea, while the official name of North Korea is DPRK or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Late Tuesday, residents living in areas north of the South Korean capital Seoul and on the border received text messages from provincial authorities asking them to “refrain from outdoor activities.”
They are also required to file a report with the nearest military base or police station if they spot an “unidentified object.”
Photos shared on social media showed the bag attached to a white translucent balloon through a rope, containing items such as toilet paper, dark soil and batteries.
Police and military officers can be seen in some of the photos.
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that “judging from the color and smell, some of the fallen balloons contained feces.”
South Korea’s military condemned the act as a “clear violation of international law.”
The military said: “This seriously threatens the safety of our people. North Korea should bear full responsibility for the consequences of the balloon, and we sternly warn North Korea to immediately stop this inhumane and rude behavior.”
In addition to anti-Pyongyang propaganda, South Korean activists have launched balloons carrying cash, banned media content and even chocolate pie, a South Korean snack banned in North Korea.
Earlier this month, a South Korean activist group claimed to have sent 20 balloons to the border carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets and USB flash drives containing K-pop music and music videos.
Seoul’s parliament passed a law in December 2020 making it a crime to distribute anti-Pyongyang leaflets, but critics have raised concerns related to free speech and human rights.
North Korea also launched balloons south to attack leaders in Seoul. During a 2016 launch, the balloon reportedly carried toilet paper, cigarette butts and trash. Seoul police described them as “dangerous biochemical substances.”
Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul
